Come What May Read Free Page B

laughed. “Janice is a lucky girl.”
    “Oh. She is.” He winked.
    “I’m glad you two are still together. That’s what Scarlet and I were more concerned about.”
    He shook his head. “That girl could do anything to me and get away with it. Although, I’ll never admit that to her. Wouldn’t want her to take advantage of me.”
    “She wouldn’t.”
    Ryan extended his hand. “Should we shake hands or something?”
    I shrugged. “I guess.”
    We embraced then pulled apart.
    “Does Monnique know about Cortland and Scarlet?” I asked. “That seems to be the last dirty secret.”
    “Nope,” Ryan said. “I told him to come clean.”
    “Yikes,” I said. “Monnique seems to have more of an attitude than the others.”
    “Cortland insists he’s into that,” Ryan said with a laugh.
    “Or he’s just into her ass.”
    “Same thing.”
    “You doing anything later?” I asked.
    “Just fucking Janice.”
    “TMI, man.”
    He shrugged. “I don’t care. Did you have something in mind?”
    “I’m buying Scarlet a car. And I need someone to drive it back.”
    A huge grin spread across his face. “She’s going to be sooo pissed, especially right after the house maid incident. Yikes.”
    “I’m trying to get it over with because the hormones get really bad. So, you coming?”
    “Are you kidding? I love watching Scarlet get worked up over stupid shit.”
    “Good. Sounds like you’re my man.”
    “What are you getting?” Ryan asked.
    “A BMW. Something safe.”
    He nodded. “Those are nice.”
    “Scarlet will hate anything I get her.”
    “Because she’s an annoying brat.”
    I smirked.
    “Your parents know about the baby?”
    “No.” The depression settled on my shoulders. “I’m not talking to my mom until she apologizes to Scarlet—really apologizes.”
    He patted my shoulder. “I’m sorry, man.”
    “I don’t understand what the problem is. My mom loves Scarlet one moment, then treats her like shit the next. It makes my head explode. Even if Scarlet was the worst woman in the world, she still wouldn’t deserve that treatment. I don’t get it.”
    “At least your dad is cool.”
    “My dad loves her more than his own kids.”
    “Well, I don’t blame him,” he teased.
    I rubbed my face with my hands. “I love my mom. I do. And it kills me that she doesn’t accept my wife. But I don’t know what to do. I feel like I have to choose. And of course, I’ll always choose Scarlet. But why should I have to?”
    “Scarlet would be willing to work on it—over and over,” Ryan said. “She doesn’t want you to lose your family. She understands how important they are to you.”
    “But she shouldn’t have to,” I said firmly. “That’s what irritates me. Scarlet is always the one making the effort. And I’m sick of it. If my mom wants to be in our lives, she’ll have to do some serious ass-kissing. And I don’t want to get Scarlet worked up while she’s pregnant. She needs to relax.”
    “Which is why you’re getting her a housemaid and a car in two days?” he asked with a laugh.
    I chuckled. “I guess that wasn’t smart, huh?”
    “Nope.”
     
    I got Scarlet a BMW SUV. The large size would keep her safe, and she could put the kids in the back. Since I had a sports car, I couldn’t take more than one passenger. I paid for it in cash then signed the papers.
    “How about you drive the BMW and make sure it works right?” He headed to the Ferrari then winked at me.
    I knew it was a ploy to drive my car. But I did want to test out the BMW before my wife drove it. “Fine.” I tossed him the keys.
    He practically clicked his heels. “I’ll wait for you at the house.”
    “You’ll wait?”
    “Yeah. Because I’m going to get there before you even pull out of the parking lot.” He got inside then started the engine.
    That jackass. I got into my wife’s car and checked everything. Then I headed home.
     
    Scarlet spoke to her brother in the driveway. Judging by the